Italy’s leading trainer, Alessandro Gocciadoro, dominated the major race, the Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli, at the Stupinigi track in Turin Friday afternoon (Nov. 1) by winning both the main race and the filly race.
The Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli for 3-year-old trotters is run with two qualifying races and a final.
Gocciadoros horses won all three races.
First, this year’s Italian Derby winner, First of Mind (sired by Face Time Bourbon), won with catch driver Roberto Vecchione in 1.58f, and then Gocciadoro himself won with Falco Killer Gar (sired by Varenne) in 1.56.2f.
In the final, Falco Killer Gar took the lead early, and although First of Mind finished strongly, Falco Killer Gar won with Alessandro Gocciadoro in 1.55.1f one length ahead of First of Mind. The purse for the winner in the final was 107,180 Euros.
Gocciadoro also took the Orsi Mangelli Filly driving Funny Gio (sired by Face Time Bourbon), who was the race favorite.
The victory was somewhat lucky, as the leading Lush Life with Gabriele Gelormini went off stride with 100 yards to go, allowing Funny Gio to win in a hard fought battle with Follia D’Esi with Marco Stefani by a head in 1.55.1f.
The purse for the winner here was 36,800 Euros.